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Festive, easy, and fun…Holly Jolly Santa Cookies – Tis’ the Season! Simple vanilla sugar cookies shaped into the cutest, fattest little Santas, made effortlessly by shaping the dough into round balls. Frosted with a deliciously sweet whipped cream cheese frosting and you’ll have yourself the most perfect Christmas cookie. Fun to bake, delicious to eat, a great homemade gift, and a festive addition to your holiday cookie box!
As I write this the snow is falling outside my NYC hotel room, and well, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! This is so cheesy, but New York in December, and with white fluffy snow, is the most magical experience. I am so happy it decided to snow on my last day here in the city. I’ll be home by the time you read this, and back in the deep, deep Colorado snow. But I’m feeling extra thankful that I was able to see NYC this time of year…and in snowy winter weather too. Next year I’m bringing my mom and little Asher with me. It’s always better with family, especially those two Christmas loving freaks. They would be loving every minute of this snowy, Christmas scene.
Anyway, it feels very fitting to be writing this post as the snow falls. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, these cookies are cute wintry cookies…and of course, delicious. Something about a fat little Santa covered in sweet frosting (and even some chocolate candies too) is always adorable.
Those of you who’ve been following HBH since the VERY early days, there’s a slight chance you’ll remember these cookies. I shared a version of this recipe only a month and a half into HBH’s inception. While looking back through old content a few weeks ago, I stumbled across this recipe.
The crazy thing about developing so many new recipes is that sometimes I forget about the old (and really GOOD) recipes I’ve created. Even though the photos of these cookies were horrid, I still found them to be so cute. And I remember Asher having so much fun helping me bake them. So I’m bringing one of my favorite cookies back to life. And while it is a slightly decadent cookie, I love them so much.
(cookie dough balls lined up and ready to assemble)
(assembling the red parts of Santa)
As you all know, I am no professional when it comes to decorating sweets. BUT I still love to make my desserts, especially the holiday ones, as cute and festive as possible. Enter these easy, rolly, polly, Santa cookies.
The idea is to take simple sugar cookie dough, roll it into tiny balls, attach them together into a “Santa” body, and bake. If you use the photos as guides, it’s the easiest sugar cookie you will make. Not to mention, so much fun! No stress, no pulling out your hair, just fun. Exactly what holiday baking should be.
Here is how you make these Holly Jolly Santa Cookies.
Start with the dough. I used my favorite sugar cookie dough that’s heavy on the butter…and vanilla. I died half of the dough red using food coloring and kept the other half of the dough plain. If you can find a great natural red food die, I would highly recommend using that. Sadly I’ve yet to find one that works well. If anyone has found one they use and love, please let me know!
Once the dough is died, it’s literally as simple as rolling each dough into multiple balls. Again, if you look through the photos you will most likely understand the process much, much easier. You need five white dough balls and five red dough balls to make one Santa.
Attaching the pieces…
This is the step that you might think will be tricky, but it’s actually so easy. To make each Santa, just gently push the dough balls together. Once again, use the photos as guides. Nothing needs to be shaped perfectly or lined up just right. As long as you have a rough body formed, the cookies bake up like adorable fat Santas.
Promise.
Once you have your Santas formed, add mini chocolate chips for eyes and buttons, then bake! The process of rolling the balls will take a little time, but to me, this is easier than cutting out shapes…and I think they are way cuter, not to mention a little more unique. Because let’s be real, everyone is making your basic sugar cookies this time of year. Bake something a little different!
Decorating is easy.
Since the cookies themselves are already so cute, decorating is EASY. I used a sweet, creamy, whipped cream cheese frosting to add a layer of excitement to each bite. The frosting is used for Santa’s beard, hat, and hands, but my recommendation? Keep a small bowl of the frosting aside for adding to each cookie while eating. The frosting is SO GOOD and the cookie is made even better with a bit of additional frosting spread all over our little Santas.
For Santa’s nose, I use a mini red M&M. Simple, easy, and so cute.
These cookies make a delicious addition to any holiday party, cookie plate, or even cookie gift box. And if you have young kids these are a must bake before Christmas. They’ll have so much fun attaching the pieces since it’s something they can easily do all by themselves!
I’m really hoping to be able to set aside time one of these days before Christmas to do a baking day with Asher. These are the perfect cookies to make with her!
If you make these holly jolly Santa cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Jolly Santa Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-2 teaspoons red food coloring
- mini chocolate chips, (for eyes and buttons)
- mini holiday M + M s, (for Santa's nose)
Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature, (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powder sugar
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Add the flour, and salt, beat until combined, and the dough begins to form a ball.3. Remove 1 cup of the dough and set aside. With the remaining dough, add in 1 teaspoon red food coloring, adding more if needed for better color. Keep in mind that the color will darken over time.4. From the red cookie dough, make 1 (1-inch) ball and 5 (1/2-inch) balls. From the plain cookie dough, make 1 (3/4 inch) ball and 5 (1/4-inch) balls. You will have a body, head, hat, four red arms and four white hands and a white ball for the top of the hat. I find it easiest to make all the parts first, then assemble. 5. On the prepared baking sheet, place the red 1-inch ball, gently flatten until 1/2 inch thick. Attach four of the red 1/2-inch balls for arms and legs. Next, attach the plain 3/4-inch ball for a head, gently flatten until 1/2 inch thick. Attach the plain 1/4-inch balls for hands and feet. Shape the remaining red 1/2-inch ball into a triangle for a hat and attach it. Repeat with remaining dough, arranging the cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Add chocolate pieces for eyes and buttons (see above photos for visuals, this will help!).6. Transfer to the oven and bake the Santa's for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden7. To make the frosting. Add the butter and the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until extra light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat together until whipped, about 2 more minutes.8. To decorate. Transfer half the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small tip. Or, take a ziplock bag and snip a very small portion of the corner off the bag. Use the bag to go around Santa's face, arms, and legs. Put a small dot on the tip of his hat and then place one red mini M&M on his face as his nose.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Okay, these are so unbelievably adorable I could melt. Every year my mom, sister and I do a cookie box for friends and family. This recipe looked a little too ambitious for our cookie baking schedule this year due to missing a baker but I did it anyway. I’m so happy I did! The cookies stuck beautifully and the taste was lovely. A nice salted butter flavor. Everyone remarked on the Santa, one friend almost made it into an ornament stating it was too cute to eat. The kids are so excited to bake more for Santa;)
I did actually have the same issue as others have stated, where doubling the recipe only gave me 14 cookies with extra red dough. I’m wondering if it’s because I used the 1inch cookie scooper and packed the dough then proceeded cutting and measuring from that. Perhaps others are measuring with a ruler or eye balling the size. Mine do look a bit larger in context to the photos on-top of the websites cookie box.
Hi Laura,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays!?? xTieghan
Made these cookies and they turned out absolutely adorable! My 5-year old and 7-year old, both self-proclaimed “official cookie taste-testers,”approved of these cookies! Quick question- what food coloring dye did you use? I used McCormick’s and the red was definitely on the lighter side and not as vibrant. Thank you in advance for sharing!
Hey Dana,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! I used a gel from Whole Foods. Happy Holidays!?? xTieghan
We had SO much fun making these cookies. It really is easy but does take some time to figure out just how many dough balls one santa requires. My favorite part was that everyone couldnt stop raving about the way they tasted!! They were delicious. We doubled the recipe and only got 20 cookies but that’s because we obviously made them too big. 20 was plenty though for what we wanted. thanks for an awesome recipe! i look forward to making these every year 🙂
Hey Andrea,
Thank you so very much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!??
These were so easy and fun for kids to make!
Hi Kristi,
Thank you so very much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!??
Tried these out over the weekend and will be making more this week. Needed more food coloring than what the recipe called for and it took me a bit to find the right sizing for all the parts so that the cookie was “just right”- so adorable, thank you for sharing!
Pic of my cookies:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xM5jX6aWcaRz5lposSDGcRuJA3p7dDz7/view?usp=sharing
Hi Brenda,
Awesome! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Super cute! Happy Holidays!❄️ xT
These were fairly simple and so cute!! My son and I made them together:)
Hi Lindsay,
Awesome! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Happy Holidays!❄️ xT
Just made these with my kiddos. They are SO cute and fun! And yummy! My son is taking one to school to share about our holiday cookie-baking tradition. Thanks for the best recipes and ideas!
Hi Kylie,
Awesome! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Happy Holidays!❄️ xT
Haven’t made the adorable cookies yet. I have tons of gerry sugar to use up. Would like to know if I used berry sugar would it alter or affect the outcome of the cookie
Hi Joan,
Sorry, I am not familiar with berry sugar. I would follow the recipe as is. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
These are beyond adorable and a favorite for many this year. They made a great gift for neighbors. I ended up adding more sugar, and thus more butter for a bit sweeter cookie after reading other reviews. Most sugar cookies I’ve made in the past called for up to 1.5 cups sugar. I was also able to find a plant based food coloring that worked well: Super Natural Kitchen plant based coloring.
Hi Stephanie,
Awesome! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Happy Holidays!❄️ xT
Hi! Love these cookies. Making for the second year. How long do they last once baked?
Hey Kelly,
Awesome! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. They are best eaten within the first 5 days. Happy Holidays!❄️ xT
How do I get mine to not spread? Yours are so cute and smush!!
Hey Suzanne,
Once you have them assembled, try popping them in the freezer for a bit before baking. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
I had so much fun baking these!!! I did a trial run tonight and will be making a few more batches for Christmas! Thank you for this recipe! Next up, Samoa presents!?
Hi Sarah,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays!? xx
I loved this idea of the Santa cookies Made them with my granddaughter. She is such a delight and so enthusiastic at 9 Her ideas astound me. Her first reaction is to gift them. Her heart overwhelms me. Thanks for the idea
Hi Bette,
Happy Friday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for making it and happy holidays!❄️ xTieghan
These cookies are such a hit every time I make them! They are beyond adorable and taste so good!
Hey Caitlin,
Happy Friday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for making it and happy holidays!❄️ xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, are these cookies in any of your cookbooks? So beautiful!
Hi Reneta,
Sorry, these are only on the blog:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Can I do more white sugar to the recipe?
Hi Alyssa,
That could affect the outcome of the dough, is there a reason why you need to add more? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan